I too find myself with nothing to bitch about (ignoring the whole condo thing, of course): the weather is perfect, the Sox are entertaining, and I am heading to Amsterdam and then Nantucket for Figawi in two weeks. Throw in the schadenfreude of Clemens' affairs and how terrible the Yanks look and life is pretty damn great!

Oh wait, I found something to bitch about: anyone else find the new(ish) Boston.com sports page layout to be really a pain in the ass to read? It's like 4 clicks to get to standings. That's annoying (there, I feel better).

Pretty foul mood today, lightened by the crazy pitches Timmah was heaving up there. These guys swing and miss at a 71 mph fastball? Wake has a curve and a slidah? Honestly, who knew?

No, my profound disgust is prompted by an amoeba-like creature by the name of Alex Castellanos, who was on CNN as a "GOP Strategist". He was actually Mitt Romney's hatchet man, and we all know how well that worked out.

No one cares about my political views, nor should they, but I was infuriated by one of the talking buttholes (literally, I thought it was an anus with eyes) on CNN last night. I don't like CNN either, but Ms. Obama's orange suit was hallucenogenic on HD, so I was watching there. Plus Keith Olbermann is an indivdual for whom contempt is wasted, so anyway.

Donna Brazile, who's hair is also startlingly galvanizing in HD
stepped up and told the GOP spinners to go puke in their hats. As "GOP strategist" Alex Castellanos, in an obvious attempt to cast aspersion upon Barack Obama, invoked the names of William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright
completely out of context, Brazile forcefully stepped in and gave him a "no you ditn't" stare, and then unloaded.

"That's beneath you", Brazile said.
[technically, that's incorrect, since in the physical world, there is no way to get lower than Senor Castellanos]

And then, the windup and the pitch:

Brazile: "Democrats will unite because we are talking about wars that are based on lies"

Castellanos: "Two planes going into buildings isn't a lie."

Holy mother of god are these GOP honks contemptible. That's all you need to know about the Republican establishment. They justify their self-glorifying excursions in Iraq and Afganistan on nothing more than 9/11.

Revenge, pure and simple. If we suffered, then those dirty people "over there" must suffer, regardless of their connection to 9/11.

Actually, it is. If memory serves - forgive me if I flub this, you hardly hear anything about 9/11 - there were THREE planes going into buildings, two in NYC and one in DC. Apparently the GOP's mad counting skillz are about as effective as rookie MFY pitching.

//ps your mileage may vary. I'm not looking for converts, only honesty.//

Well, political campaigning is not about honesty, it's about winning.

And this is always the way it has been going all the way back to Athens and the beginnings of democracy.

Neither side is honest. (You really think Obama is going to scrap NAFTA?)

You just need to roll with it, LC.

I'm surprised, really, that someone like yourself who, if I recall, has been around since the Hoover administration, hasn't long since become jaded and unmoved by the gamesmanship inherent to the election cycle.

I hate politics. I'd rather face a good knuckle ball pitcher (which I have in Cooperstown - I got ahold of almost every one, but no solid hits - right before you cruch the home run, the ball dances away enough to be a foul or pop up. That's what we love about Tim!

He did some work on his foot placement yesterday after workign with Cash on films analysis. The new foot placement worked!

"I'm surprised, really, that someone like yourself who, if I recall, has been around since the Hoover administration, hasn't long since become jaded and unmoved by the gamesmanship inherent to the election cycle."

First of all, Hoover had a wicked 2-seamah. I taught him. But he was a mean drunk and didn't get the most out of his abilities.

Anyway, ascribing all this perfidy to gamesmanship doesn't cut it with me. I get spin, and prevarication and what the definition of "is" is..

But to just punch highly emotionally charged buttons sloganeering discredits the people who are dying and losing their limbs for what amounts to the political equivalent of the "Be A Pepper" ad campaign.

So, no, I'm not going to roll with it.

And maybe, just maybe, BHObama has the cojones to break the mold even just a little. I think there is a real appetite for it.

The most recent example is the discussion over the so-called "summer tax holiday", which McCain backs as does HRC. Obama called it "Washington gimmickry", which it demonstrably is. It appears that a lot of people in IN and NC saw through it and believed him.

So, no Obama is not the second coming of
Jacoby Ellsbury, but I sure would like to see what he can pull off.

Baseball is cosmic. If Wagner were writing his Ring Cycle today he would be referring the Yankee-Red Sox struggle to capture the World Series Ring. Those games are Wagnerian - 5 hours long with the fate of the universe riding on each pitch.

Baseball inspires some of our best writers to write some of our best literature -- from John Updike to George Will to (even) Dan O'Shaughnessy!

As I get older (Red Sox fan for over 55 years now) every time I think I've seen it all, there's always something new and unexpected. This past week has been, for all of the reasons Mr. Roy notes (and more--I'm in the SF Bay Area and am treated daily to some fine ball from both the A's and the Giants) almost an out-of-body experience!

Ah Joefreak, you remind me of one of my favorite lines from Bull Durham, when Annie Savoy describes baseball as being "a religion full of magic, cosmic truth, and the fundamental ontological riddles of our time." So true.

The only thing Obama will pull off is leaving every person who supported us in Iraq and Afghanistan to be tortured and killed. But hey, it won't be Americans dying (at least not yet), and it's not like we haven't done it before (Vietnam) so why worry, be happy...

H.B., the only way I see to fix the problem of self-serving politicians is to devise some method of limiting the job of President to true patriots. You know, like Washington leading his troops by standing BETWEEN the the British and Colonials during the battle of Princeton. I know it's a pipe dream.

Man I am quite torn between Obama and McCain. HRC you will never convince me to vote for, especially after her "obliterate Iran" (yes I know she said it if Iran ever attacked Israel) and her claims of dismantling OPEC. You want pipe dream Steve? How about going after OPEC for a real laugh? Even that gas tax crap made her all the more repulsive.

I am worried about Obama's big pullout pledge since I'm a serviceman and I know leaving right now would clusterfuck everything. I'm also suspicious about the whole race thing but another part of me thinks he's trying to be sincere with unity. McCain's a vet which I respect and a Hanoi Hilton resident for 5-6 years. I think he's got a tough foreign policy which is good but I'm worried that another Republican will only make the rest of the world all pissed off again for illogical reasons. It's tough to be an independent, moderate, and choose between these people. Where's the Washingtons and FDRs when you need them?

Outside of that the Red Sox are my comfort from political BS. Tito could always run...

Colin, McCain ins't my first choice, but he may be my only choice. I keep hoping Joe Lieberman will either run independent, or McCain will pick him as VP (which is very unlikely). Perhaps because of his racial history, Lieberman seems to be the only guy who "gets it".

Winning the war is impossible -- the best we can hope for is keeping a lid on the worst of the violence (as we have sort of been doing since the surge) in a country with deep religious hatreds, decades of scores to settle, and no tradition of civil discourse. What steams me the most is the Bush-and-Co. belief that democracy would "break out" after the invasion. Don't they know that our democratic institutions and habits are the product of a thousand years of gradual evolution (and lots of war and violence, by the way), going back to when twelve of your neighbors were asked to decide if you deserved to have your hand cut off for stealing John's sheep? That's why I believe McCain when he says we may need to stay there for a hundred years. Whether we get out now or a few years from now really won't make much a difference to Iraqis, but it will make a difference to us in lives and dollars.

So when we have nothing sports-related to bitch about, Roy should have known there's always politics.

What peeves me in this Democratic primary season is the complete lack of acknowledging reality (ala lc's comments) in what's being said. For Hillary to win at this point so many crazy unrealistic numbers would have to change, like she'd have to win 80-20 in every state that's left. It's over for her, but she ignores it and somehow the media then picks up on her fervor and runs with it too instead of calling it like it is.

I think the best moment of the night last night on the politi-talk news network-a-thons was after Hillary's supporter on CNN was done yammering about more "ifs" with Michigan and Florida that would let his candidate win. Obama's supporter said:

"Do you hear that? If this and if that. If my aunt had a male appendage, she'd be my uncle."

I just about died laughing that someone played the "if my aunt had a dick..." in a national TV discussion, and yet it was as equally sane as all of the garbage coming from Hillary's person which made it ring so true.

LC:
Re: Your post - when I was reading it, this song by The Jam was on my MP3 player - thought it was kind of fitting...

"News Of The World"
Read about the things that happen throughout the world
Don't be believe in everything you see or hear
The neighbours talk day in day out about the goings on
They tell us what they want - they don't give an inch
Look at the pictures taken by the cameras they cannot lie
The truth is in what you see - not what you read
Little men tapping things out - points of view
Remember their views are not the gospel truth
Don't believe it all
Find out for yourself
Check before you spread
News of the world
Never doubt
Never ask
Never moan
Never search
Never find
Never know
Each morning our key to the world comes through the door
More than often its just a comic, not much more
Don't take it too serious - not many do
Read between the lines and you'll find the truth
Read all about it, read all about it - news of the world.

And it seems The Jam had E.S.P. when it came to Roger Clemens' woes circa 2008:

"The Butterfly Collector"
So you finally got what you wanted
You've achieved your aim by making me walk in line
And when you just can't get any higher
You use your senses to suss out this week's climber
And the small fame that you've acquired
Has brought you into cult status
But to me you're still a collector

There's tarts and whores but you're much more
You're a different kind 'cause you want their minds
And you just don't care 'cause you've got no pride
It's just a face on your pillowcase
That thrills you

And you started looking much older
And your fashion sense is second rate like your perfume
But to you in your little dream world
You're still the Queen of the butterfly collectors

As you carry on 'cause it's all you know
You can't light a fire
You can't cook or sew
You get from day to day by filling your head
But surely you must know the appeal between your legs
Has worn off

And I don't care about morals
'Cause the world's insane and we're all to blame anyway
And I don't feel any sorrow
Towards the Kings and Queens of the butterfly collectors

There's tarts and whores but you're much more
You're a different kind 'cause you want their minds
And you just don't care 'cause you've got no pride
It's just a face on your pillowcase
That thrills you

As you carry on 'cause it's all you know
You can't light a fire
You can't cook or sew
You get from day to day by filling your head
But surely you must know the appeal between your legs
Has worn off

And I don't feel any sorrow
Towards the Kings and Queens of the butterfly collectors.

Going all the way back to lc's original post today: I love Donna Brazile. Every time she opens her mouth, I get happy. Crazy voice, speaks the truth. Thanks for bringing Donna to us today, lc. And I'm not in the mood to make the big political statement today, only to comment on the commenters. Oh, and go Sox.

I speak as a constituent of Sen. Obama's. Folks, don't pin your "progressive" hopes on him. He's naive, is a poor judge of character, and follows direction a lot better than he gives it. Sure, he makes a great speech, and sounds like the Messiah next to what has been probably the most inarticulate President since radio became generally available. But don't be fooled.

His judgement of character? Well, you've all heard about Rev. Wright. The question there, of course, is not why Wright's a racist but why he listened to the man for 20 years, adopted him as a mentor and took his kids to him to be instructed. Although framing the whole controversy in the terms of "Here's why Rev. Wright is a racist" and "Rev. Wright has a First Amendment right to his opinions, why are you trying to shut him up" was a wonderful way to misdirect people. So he disavowed him. Big deal. Why didn't he disavow the man when he came out with all this stuff years ago? Because it would have cost him votes.

I also loved the bit about his grandmother being a "typical white woman" when she evinced anxiety about some black guys. Imagine describing a black man as a "typical black man" in a similar scenario. You'd be called racist, and they'd be right. Obama will throw anybody under the bus if it'll advance his political career, be it relatives or be it someone who's mentored him for 20 years.

Then there's Tony Rezko. This guy is an Illinois political "fixer" and has been for years. He's been a supporter of Obama starting with his first election as State Senator. This relationship is more than just a few political donations - he helped Obama buy his house, getting directly involved in the transaction to buy the property and selling some of his lot to add to Obama's lot (which is adjoining) later on. Rezko is currently on trial for working with our Governor to sell state jobs for $25,000 a head in political donations. Obama claims he didn't know anything about this. I say that Obama is thus either a liar or incredibly ignorant, take your pick.

Then there's Steve Ayers, the former Weatherman. Me, I protested the Vietnam War. But unlike Steve I didn't set bombs to blow people up, and I sure as hell haven't been walking around lately telling people I have no regret in setting off those bombs and should have set off more. Nor have I published a book about my great deeds with a picture of me standing on an American flag on the ground. But Obama sees nothing wrong with associating with the man.

This shit reminds me of Nixon bringing on Spiro Agnew as his V.P. Are these the kind of people that you want as associates and advisors to your President?

Folks, selecting an Illinois politician as "Mr. Clean" is about as valid or as likely as finding the next President of the NAACP at a KKK convention.

I speak as a constituent of Gov. Reagan's. Folks, don't pin your "conservative" hopes on him. He's naive, is a poor judge of character, and follows direction a lot better than he gives it. Sure, he makes a great speech, and sounds like the Messiah next to what has been probably the most inarticulate President since radio became generally available. But don't be fooled. Etc., etc.

I think Clay and Lester have come to realize that somebody is going down when Colon, and then later on, Schilling, come up. A little incentive goes a long way when the difference in a days pay is more than a factor of 10, in addition to many other perks (including possibly Penthouse Pets).

Got great micros where I live (Kansas City area) - both from MO and KS (esp Lawrence). I can still get my Sam Adams Black Ale (current SA of choice right now) here but some of the locals make it hard to keep my SA affiliation (esp. when they're $1.50 cheaper for a six-pack).

Even though I love my Red Sox, you gotta feel sorry for Jim Leyland (though not TOO sorry) - his team has the 2nd-highest payroll in MLB and they are competing for cellar space w/ the Royals and ChiSox. Think he's seeing the writing on the wall and sending out his resume to other teams as we speak?

I love the schizoid (politics is baseball) flavour of todays comments. lc's first post was like a Timmy slider - who knew it was coming or where in came from. One of our conservative politicians (conservative in Australia is about equal to moderate in the US I think) said of one of his colleagues: 'he has all the qualities of a dog, except loyalty'. Anyone know if that was original?

Going back to The Jam (because what should we be talking about on a Red Sox blog anyway?), I loved how Paul Weller all of a sudden thought he was Charles Azanavour (sp?) after he broke up the band (much to the dismay of his fans and his two other bandmates, who had no idea he was going to do it - at the height of their success, too), then got all pissy when people got fed up with him when he wanted to be taken as a SERIOUS ARTIST (how many Style Council and solo Weller records do you have? Didn't think so.); then his bassist and drummer decided to reform the band with a guitarist that sounds exactly like him (since he will never rejoin the band ever again) and are touring - their band is now called "From The Jam." And yes, they do Weller's songs as well. I guess as long as he gets his royalty checks, he's happy.